Prison building



PRISON BUILDING Filed Ag. 9, 1938 3 'Sheets-Sheet l MN 4 m, m w NN. w w mm1 MMR. m. N @i n m N n., N N: 5 u k. @QN wml %N\ 5: NNI

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W. Y. COCKEN, JR

-PRISON BUILDING Filed Aug. 9, 1938 3 Sheets-Shao?I 2 ATTRNEK Qgully 8, 1941.

W. Y. COCKEN, JR

PRISON BUILDING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 9, 1958 .NVENTUL WXLUL'KEM J. I 5y TT/NNEK Patented July 8, 1941 UMTED STATES PATENT GFFICE. 2,243,805

-PRrsoN BUILDING- wiuam Ycrk' ontken, Jr.,1 atsbi1rgh, Pt.v Application August 9, 1938,Seria,1N0;223,785 Y solaires. tot iss- This invention particularly to a prison buildingrconstruction of simple and economical designpermitting aconcentration ofthe `usual prison-departments'and providing efcient means Yfor retention, supervision, segregation and health ofthe prisoners or inmates. v'

The general trend in prison design and Aconstruction as heretofore followed, contemplated a plurality of cell blocks 'or cell buildings, usually isolated or separated one from the other, except for elaborate passageways' or communication buildings. Such designs further contemplated separate buildings for dining halls, recreation rooms, and rooms for other numerous purposes necessary in modern prison buildings. While in some instances, some of these separate and isoiatedbuildings may have had a single roof structure, and were connected by passageWays and communication structures, they have usually been built, as distinct structures at excessive and wasteful costs.

Constructions of the type stated are also objectionable .in that they require a maximum number of employees to properly conduct the prison. Also a large ground area for the separate spaced apart buildings is required.

Among the objects of my invention are: to provide anew and improved prison construction that will overcome the objectionable features above recited; a construction that will effect a material reduction in the number and cost of prison building structures; to provide a novel cell block or cell building structure capable of being effectively lighted, ventilated and supervised at a minimum of cost; and a construction in which the cell block units are utilized in the construction of other departments of the prison.

My invention contemplates a novel cell block or Aunit construction wherein tiers of lcells are disposed in stepped, terraced or step-back relation, the cell tiers being preferably arranged in. pairs of oppositely disposed stepped series, each pair constituting a cell block or unit. Further, the repetition of such cell blocks or units is employed in the formation of intervening utility rooms or areas within a 'single prison building.

rlihe step-back cell tiers, as herein contemplated, are readily constructed of a cantilever design which is advantageous both in construction andas to the cost thereof. Such a cell tier disposition also lends itself readily to an advantageous -disposition .and operation 'of plumbing, electrical, v and other conduits necessarily present relates toprisonv buildings and in buildings'of thisrcharacter, wherelarge num.- bersl of utility outlets are employed. I

These Vand other objects and advantages may be morereadily understood vfrom the following fd'escription; takenV in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig-"1 is van aerial perspective view'of a prison or the Alike 'embodying my invention, showing a vertical section throughthe building -and `with a portion of the roof structure thereof removed;

plan lbeingtaken on `the line -II--II-of Fig. 3;

Y -IEligs. -and 4, yvertical sectional views taken on l the linefl'lI- and I'V-IV of Fig. 2 respectively; and

Figr, a detail sectional View takenon the line V--V of Fig. 4, particularly showing the 4central corridors of the building.

'For' purposes of illustration, the drawings show a-simple rectangular prison building comprising outer walls 6 constructed the usual manner, but it will be understood that the Youter design and construction may -be `varied at will.

-My invention deals more specifically with the *interiori construction and arrangement of the prison, and embodies unitary construction features which may be continued throughout the building in accordance with the requirements thereof as to capacity, etc.

As illustrated, A `designates generally one or more cell blocks or cell units, the term cell 'block being employedas usual in the -art to designate a room-like -unit consisting or" one or more tiers of -cells and the room or building portion containing the cells.

Yin the present construction, a cell block comprises a pair of cell banks formed of step-back or terraced tiers of cells, the banks of cells preferably being somewhat spaced apart in parallelismrand .being oppositely disposed to form an upwardly divergent area or room space therebetween.

Thus, each cell block A includes right 4and left cell vbanks composed of step-back .tiers of cells respectively designated TR1, TR2, TRa, TRA, TRs and TLi, TLz, TLS, T114, TLs. Each tier comprises a plurality of cells or cell' rooms 'l formed in succession inthe usual manner, each cell having a barred door or grating 3, the doors of the cell tiers, with the exception of the bottom tiers, opening onto runways or open passages 9 having guardrails I0. The cells of the lowermost tiers TR1 andTLl open onto the oor Il of the cell block.

The tiers of the right-and left Vcell banks step floor plan View, Ysaid,

back in vertical series away from each other providing a center court or room space B therebetween, the said room space B increasing in dimension upwardly as shown. The cell doors 8 and runways 9 of the opposite cell banks face each other and also face the center court B.

Under my invention a suitable small prison or jail may be constructed by the employment of a single cell block A, enclosed by surrounding Walls and a roof. Also, by utilizing the novel cell block and arranging the cell blocks in pairs or groups a larger prison building may be advantageously constructed.

For example, Fig. 2 illustrates four cell blocks arranged in pairs AA1 and AzAa, these pairs being symmetrically disposed on each side of a common tier of corridors C1, C2, Cs, C4, C (see Fig. 5), the corridors being disposed to extend transversely or endwise of the cell tiers of the respective cell blocks. The cell blocks of each designated pair are preferably spaced apart in parallelism, whereby their adjacent cell banks, due to the step-back or terraced construction, form by the downward divergence of their respective cell tiers, an intervening building portion or utility space D.

The portions D formed by each pair of cell blocks may be advantageously employed for the various rooms and purposes generally employed in the modern prison. Thus, the lower and larger portion of space D may be enclosed by an arched ceiling I2 or the like, to form an auditorium, dining hall, gymnasium or other large room, which ceiling and room may extend throughout the height of the lower three tiers of cells of the cell blocks as shown. The portion D above the large room may be separated at the other :door levels of the cell tiers, as at I3 and I4, to provide class rooms, shower rooms, fan rooms, or the like. It will be apparent that the width of the portions D may be readily varied as desired by the spacing of the cell blocks A.

While I have shown but a single pair of cell blocks A on either side of the corridors, it will be understood that additional cell blocks may be readily incorporated either as original construction or at a later date when expansion becomes essential. Also, that by the addition of such cell blocks, additional utility spaces or rooms D will be formed as above` described.

The entire assembly of units is preferably contemplated as forming construction parts of the prison building as a whole. That is to say, the cell blocks are preferably built into and joined with the other portions of the building in continuous or connected concrete and/or steel construction or the like. Thus, as illustrated, the outer ends of the cell blocks A and utility rooms D are joined with and closed by surrounding walls 5, the inner ends thereof being joined with and closed by partition walls I5, between which partition walls is the system of corridors C1, C2, Cs, C4, C5.

Suitable roof structure is provided over the entire assembly, and, as illustrated, includes slab roof sections I5 between the cell blocks and elevated pitched roof sections I'I extending over the cell blocks proper. The elevated sections I1 have horizontally disposed rows of windows I8 therebelow for supplying light and ventilation to the cell blocks from all directions. In addition, those portions of the walls 6 enclosing the outer ends of the cell blocks are provided with large vertically extending windows I S supplying light and ventilation to the cell blocks.

For the purpose of observation and control of the prison, and for the regulation and handling of traffic therein, I prefer to employ a corridor system, and floor levels in general, in relation to the plurality of cell tiers. Thus, there being ve tiers of cells in each bank of the cell blocks illustrated, a corridor is provided at each tier level, said corridors being correspondingly designated as C1, C2, C3, C4. and C5.

At the inner end of each cell block A, the partition walls I5 are formed with a series of doors or gratings 2U located at the inner terminus of each of the runways 9 of the cell tiers, and have similar doors 2I at the rst floor level between the cell tiers TR1 and TLi, the said doors or gratings 20 and 2| each communicating with one of the corridors C1, C2, Cs, C4 and C5 at their respective levels.

As particularly shown in Figs. 2 and 5, each cell block A is also provided with stair wells and stairs 22 located at the inner end of each cell bank, which stairs extend in the conventional manner from the level of the rst tiers TR1-T131 to the fifth tiers TRS-T115. By the provision of the stairs arranged or shown, the prisoners or occupants of any or all tiers of cells may pass into any of the various corridors, upon attaining the proper level, prior to leaving the cell block through the doors 20 or 2| at the said level. Suitable doors 23 are likewise provided at the level of corridor C1 for communication between that corridor and a utility room in the space or portion D.

The corridors afford convenient observation points, for which purpose the partition walls I5 are formed with a plurality of windows or openings 24 at selected floor levels, the said windows or openings affording a clear view of the cell blocks from the corridors. Due to the step-back cell tier disposition and the lighting of the cell blocks A, an entire cell block may be readily supervised, and by reason of the relation of the corridors and cell blocks, a minimum number of guards or attendants may readily and quickly observe a plurality of cell blocks in an exceptionally short time.

It is to be particularly noted, that a guard or attendant at one of the upper corridors, is enabled to see all cell doors 8 of the cell block under observation, due to the step-back arrangement of the cell tiers.

A further convenience is aiorded by permitting visitors or inspectors to observe the cell blocks from the corridor windows 24, from which they may clearly view an entire cell block withmethod of inspection and Attention is directed to another important feature of the step-back or terraced form of cell block, i. e., the disposition and operation of the plumbing, lighting, etc. facilities for the individual cells 'I and/or the tiers.

In constructing the cell tiers in the manner of my invention, I prefer to employ the cantilever principle, whereby the rearmost portion of one cell tier overhangs or extends outwardly beyond the cell tier immediately therebelow. Hence, the step-back cells have the underside of the rearmost portion of the floor thereof exposed, whererear of the cell tiers.

For this purpose, I provide a series of service corridors or rooms 25 at the rear of the cell tiers extending therealong for the purposes specied. Fig. 3 illustrates diagrammatically how the plumbing or electrical conduits may be disposed, including a utility outlet 26 in each cell having an individual conduit 21 communicating with a common conduit 28, the latter having, in the case of plumbing conduits, an outer vent 29, and having nal connection with an underground main 3E or the like. The corridors or areaways 25 may have communication with the corridors C1, C2, etc., by means of doors 3|, as desired.

As an advantage in construction, it will also be seen that the terraced disposition of the cell tiers enables the roof or ceiling portion of one cell tier to be utilized in the formation of a runway or passage 9 for the tier immediately above, which feature may be continued throughout the cell bank as illustrated.

The number and sizes of the cell blocks A which may be employed is naturally dependent upon the intended capacity of the prison, a continued repetition of said cell blocks aording additional utility room spaces D therebetween which may be employed for those purposes selected by the prison authorities.

While the sides of the building may terminate with the outermost cell blocks of a series, additional roorn facilities may be provided by simply continuing the building beyond said outermost cell blocks to provide between the latter and the adjacent outside wall 6, a utility area or space E. The spaces E may be employed for additional cells la, class rooms, shower rooms, etc., according to the requirements of the prison.

A prison building constructed in accordance with my invention may be varied in design and detail by the skilled architect and planner without departing from the scope of the invention. The step-back cell block construction, singly or in series, lends itself readily to economy of design and construction, as hereinbefore set forth.

It will be seen that the improved cell blocks provide attractive quarters for the inmates through the large and thoroughly lighted room or court between the cell banks. Due to the embodiment of the cell blocks in the prison building proper, it is also apparent that the inmates Iare segregated with complete security and Without being isolated.

Various changes and modications are contemplated within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a prison building, a cell block comprising a pair of oppositely disposed spaced parallel cell plurality of terraced tiers of cells, a wall closing the outer end of the cell block, a partition closing the inner end of the cell block, stair wells within said block adjacent the inner ends of leach cell bank, a corridor at each tier level outside of the partition, doorways in the partition between the ends of each tier and the adjacent corridor, and openings in the partition at selected corridor levels between the cell banks affording a clear View of the interior of the cell block.

2. In a prison building, a cell block comprising a pair of oppositely disposed spaced parallel cell banks consisting of a plurali-ty of terraced tiers of cells, a portion of the floor of each tier above the lowest tier constituting a runway in front of the Iadjacent cells, a wall closing the outer end of the cell block, a partition closing the inner end of the cell block, stair wells within said block accessible from said runways, a corridor at each tier level outside of the partition, doorways in the partition between the corridors and the adjacent; runways, and an opening in the partition at a selected corridor level between the cell banks affording a clear view of the interior of the cell block.

3. In a prison building, cell block comprising a pair of posed spaced parallel cell banks consisting of terraced tiers of cells, walls closing the outer ends of 'the `cell blocks, spaced partitions closing the inner ends of the cell blocks, stair wells within said blocks, corridors each Iat a different tier level located between the partitions, doorways in the partitions between the corridors and adjacent tiers, and openings in said partitions at the same corridor level and between the cell banks alording a clear view of the interior of each cell block.

4. In a prison building, two parallel cell blocks, each cell block comprising a pair of oppositely disposed spaced parallel cell banks consisting of a plurality of terraced tiers of cells, theinner banks forming an enclosing space dening a room, a wall closing the outer ends of the cell blocks, a partition closing the inner ends of the cell blocks and space, stair wells within said cell blocks, corridors each at a different tier level common to both blocks and located outside of the partition, doorways in the partition between the corridors and the -adjacent tiers, and openings in said partition at selected corridor levels between the cell banks aifording a clear view of the interior of each cell block.

WILLIAM YORK COCKEN, JR.

banks consisting of a two cell blocks, each oppositely dis- 

